Ajimobi Suspends OTMA, Sacks Workers

Governor Abiola Ajimobi has suspended the Oyo State Traffic Management Authourity (OTMA) established by the estwhile governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala.

He also sacked all the staff
of the agency.

The governor stated that the suspension was done in a good faith, stressing that the agency will soon bounce back after it has been reviewed and restructured to achieve the desired objectives.

Shedding light on the suspension,  Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said it was due to the massive irregularities that characterised the employment of workers in the agency, adding that “there is need to put round pegs in round holes”. 

According to Adedayo, the state government said that there were “massive irregularities, cronyism and favouritism” in the employment of the sacked road traffic authority workers, stating that the former
government merely hurriedly employed the traffic managers and filled the agency with party and family members of officials of the past government “in flagrant
disregard for the requirements of such appointments.”

 The state government said it recognises the need to have such an establishment and that it had set machinery in motion to have a
similar agency but would do this with strict adherence to the norms and practices of employment as it is done worldwide.

The Alao-Akala-led government, at the twilight of its tenure, hurriedly established OTMA, staffing it with all
manner of persons, without regard for due process.

 Governor Ajimobi said those who were disengaged and have requisite
qualifications could re-apply for the job and would be given top priority in the new OTMA that the government is setting up, stating that government believes that things have to be done properly “with thorough regard for equity, due process and law”. 

The government also said that it was prepared to pay the sacked OTMA workers salaries owed them as at 30 June  2011 when they were disengaged, stating that the present government in Oyo State believes in fairness in all its doings. 

The government also pointed out that the new OTMA of the Ajimobi administration’s dream must encompass its vision of traffic management, security and environment management, stressing that it was committed to the improvement of the welfare of the people of the state. 

By Gbenro Adesina